Disposable lighter for sight-impaired users

ABSTRACT

A disposable lighter having a surface comprised of different elevations and different materials, which permit blind or sight-impaired users to know the proper orientation to use the lighter by feel alone and also improve gripping of the lighter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a gas lighter; more particularly, itrelates to a disposable gas lighter for use by blind or sight-impairedusers.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A disposable lighter is a portable igniter used to create a flame. Itgenerally comprises a tank containing fuel and an ignition means forlighting the fuel. In one kind of conventional disposable lighter, ametal strike wheel is mounted above a flint that communicates with thefuel contained in the tank of the lighter. The lighter is actuated bystriking the metal wheel against the flint to create a spark. When thelighter is actuated by striking the wheel, gas is contemporaneouslyreleased by depression of a gas lever located in proximity to the strikewheel. The spark created by the strike wheel ignites the released gas tocreate a flame. In another lighter of this kind, the ignition means iscomprised of a piezoelectric unit instead of a strike wheel. A spark iscreated by actuating a button that compresses the piezoelectric unit togenerate a discharge voltage, which ignites the gas to create a flame.

Disposable lighters can be dangerous if misused. It is common to providesafety mechanisms for such disposable lighters, especiallychild-resistant mechanisms to prevent misuse of the lighters bychildren. However, there is a need to make disposable lighters safe notonly for children but for blind or sight-impaired users as well. Thelighter of the present invention permits visually impaired users to knowby touch alone whether they are holding the lighter properly to operateit. Since the top of the lighter where the flame is generated can becomehot after operation, if visually impaired people use the top of thelighter to determine the proper orientation of the lighter, they canburn their finger by touching the hot metal near the ignition means.Even if the top of the lighter is not hot from previous use, it can befrustrating and time consuming for visually impaired users to fumblewith a lighter to determine its proper orientation. The lighter of thepresent invention solves these problems by permitting sight-impairedusers to know the orientation of the lighter by feeling the tank of thelighter.

The advantages of the present invention are not limited tosight-impaired users. It is also often necessary for people with normalvision to determine the orientation of the lighter by feel alone. Forexample, a person with normal vision may need to operate a disposablelighter in the dark, such as at night or in a dark bar or night club. Insituations where there is inadequate lighting, it can be frustrating andtime consuming for to fumble with a lighter to determine its properorientation. The present invention allows users to safely operate thelighter in the dark. Furthermore, another common problem with disposablelighters is that it can be difficult to grip. Disposable lighters aresmall and they are generally made of plastic or metal, which can makethe lighters difficult to grip. The present invention provides improvedgripping of the lighter.

For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a disposable lighter thatis safe for use by blind or sight-impaired users, and easy to use forunimpaired users who need to operate a lighter in the dark.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a disposable lighter for blind orsight-impaired users. It is an object of the invention to provide adisposable lighter having a tank configured to permit users to know theorientation of the lighter by feel of the tank alone.

A disposable lighter having the features of the present inventioncomprises an elongated fuel tank with a flame ignition mechanism mountedon its top side. As shown in FIG. 1, an example of the flame ignitionmechanism is comprised of a conventional strike wheel located inproximity to a gas lever. The gas lever is mounted on the top side ofthe tank and in proximity to the front side of the tank. The strikewheel is mounted over a flint (not shown). The flame ignition mechanismis positioned in proximity to a valve that is connected to the fuel tankand arranged to permit the flame ignition mechanism to ignite the fuelwhen the strike wheel and gas lever are actuated.

As shown in FIG. 1, the tank has a surface with at least two elevations.The first elevation forms substantially the front side of tank and thesecond elevation wraps over the front side and back side of the tank.The difference in elevations between front and back sides of the tankpermits the user to know the proper orientation to use the lighter byfeel alone.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the first and second elevations formchannels or furrows on the back side of the tank, which provide forbetter gripping of the lighter.

A lighter according to the present invention, having a tank with atleast two elevations to permit users to know the orientation of thelighter by feel of the tank alone and to provide better grip, can employa flame mechanism based on a piezoelectric unit instead of a strikewheel. As shown in FIG. 7, a flame ignition mechanism of this embodimentis mounted on the top side of the tank, comprising a button thatcommunicates with a piezoelectric unit (not shown). A valve (not shown)is connected to the fuel supply in the tank and arranged to permit theignition mechanism to ignite the fuel when the piezoelectric unit isactuated. FIGS. 7-10 show a tank with a surface having at least twoelevations, wherein the difference in elevations between front and backsides of the tank permits the user to know the proper orientation to usethe lighter by feel alone.

A lighter according to another embodiment of the invention comprises anelongated tank for holding fuel therein, having a top side, a frontside, and a back side. The tank has a surface comprising at least twodifferent materials having distinguishable tactile characteristics. Onematerial is located in proximity to front side of the tank and a secondmaterial is located in proximity to the back side the of tank. Thedifferences in materials between front and said back surfaces of thetank permit the user not only to know the proper orientation to use thelighter by feel alone, but also provide the user with better grip of thelighter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a back view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a top view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective of another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a side view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a back view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a front view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11 is a top view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 12 is a bottom view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 13 is a perspective of another embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the accompanying drawings, a lighter (1) in accordancewith an embodiment of the invention comprises a tank (10) for holdingfuel therein. The tank (10) is typically elongated as shown in FIG. 1.Tank (10) has a top side (12), a front side (14), and a back side (16).A flame ignition mechanism (20) is mounted on top side (12) of tank(10). The flame ignition mechanism (20) is positioned in proximity to avalve (not shown), which is connected to the fuel in tank (10) andarranged to permit the flame ignition mechanism (20) to ignite the fuel.As shown in FIG. 5, an aperture (30) of the valve is positioned on thetop side (12) of tank (10) and in proximity to the back side (16) oftank (10).

Tank (10) has a surface (40) with at least a first elevation (42) and asecond elevation (44). The first elevation (42) forms substantially thefront side (14) of tank (10). The second elevation (44) wraps over thefront side (14) and back side (16) of tank (10). The difference inelevations between front side (14) and back side (16) of tank (10)permits the user to know the proper orientation to use the lighter byfeel alone.

A lighter according to another embodiment of the invention is shown inFIGS. 7-12. A lighter according to this embodiment of the inventioncomprises an elongated tank (110) for holding fuel having a top side(112), a front side (114), and a back side (116). A flame ignitionmechanism (120) is located on top side (112) of said tank (110). A valve(not shown) is connected to a fuel supply in tank (110) and arranged topermit ignition mechanism (120) to ignite the fuel. The valve ispositioned on top side (112) of tank (110) and positioned in proximityto the front side (114) of tank (110).

Tank (110) has a surface (140) comprising at least two differentmaterials having distinguishable tactile characteristics. One material(142) is located in proximity to front side (114) of tank (110) and asecond material (144) is located in proximity to back side (116) of tank(110), whereby the differences in materials between front and said backsurfaces of tank permit the user to know the proper orientation to usethe lighter by feel alone.

Yet another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 13. A lighteraccording to this embodiment of the invention comprises a tank havingone elevation made of at least two different materials havingdistinguishable tactile characteristics.

In either or both embodiments of the invention, the first and secondelevations form channels or furrows on the back side of the tank, whichprovide for better gripping of the lighter. The different materials ofthe surfaces also improve gripping.

This invention is not to be limited by the embodiment shown in thedrawings and described in the description, which is given by way ofexample and not of limitation, but only in accordance with the scope ofthe appended claims.

1. A lighter comprising: a tank for holding fuel, said tank having atop, a front, and a back; a flame ignition mechanism mounted on said topof said tank; a valve connected to said fuel and arranged to permit saidignition mechanism to ignite said fuel, said valve positioned on saidtop of said tank and in proximity to said front of said tank; said tankhaving a surface, said surface having at least a first elevation and asecond elevation, said first elevation located in proximity to saidfront of said tank and said second elevation located in proximity tosaid back of said tank, whereby said differences in elevations betweensaid front and said back surfaces of said tank permit the user to knowthe proper orientation to use the lighter by feel alone.
 2. A lightercomprising: a tank for holding fuel, said tank having a top, a front,and a back; a flame ignition mechanism mounted on said top of said tank;a valve connected to said fuel and arranged to permit said ignitionmechanism to ignite said fuel, said valve positioned on said top of saidtank and in proximity to said front of said tank; said tank having asurface, said surface comprising at least two different materials havingdistinguishable tactile characteristics, said first material located inproximity to said front of said tank and said second material located inproximity to said back of said tank, whereby said differences inmaterials between said front and said back surfaces of said tank permitthe user to know the proper orientation to use the lighter by feelalone.
 3. A lighter comprising: a tank for holding fuel, said tankhaving a top, a front, and a back; a flame ignition mechanism mounted onsaid top of said tank; a valve connected to said fuel and arranged topermit said ignition mechanism to ignite said fuel, said valvepositioned on said top of said tank and in proximity to said front ofsaid tank; said tank having a surface, said surface having at least afirst elevation and a second elevation, said first elevation comprisedof a first material, said second elevation comprised of a secondmaterial, wherein said first material and said second material havedistinguishable tactile characteristics so as to permit the user to knowthe proper orientation to use the lighter by feel alone.